Vauxhall Mokka review

Our opinion on the Vauxhall Mokka

The small SUV class is a busy sector, but the Vauxhall Mokka has the sharp looks to help it stand out from the crowd. Its kerbside appeal is maintained inside, where the interior offers twin displays and on-board tech that’s easy enough to get along with.

There are also plenty of powertrain choices to meet most needs, including petrol, hybrid and electric options. The hybrid is our pick of the bunch because it offers a good mix of performance and ease of use without pushing the price up too high. Whichever version you choose, the Mokka is reasonably efficient and practical enough for small families. The arrival of the GSe model also means there’s an option for the driving enthusiast.

About the Vauxhall Mokka

While cars such as the Corsa and Astra are forever linked with the Vauxhall brand, it’s the Mokka that accounts for a large number of sales today. In fact, this small SUV is a regular feature in the top 10 of the UK’s best-selling car charts.

The second-generation Mokka arrived in 2021, and a range of updates were added in 2025 to help the car remain competitive in the small SUV class. On the outside, this included deleting most of the chrome trim, reprofiling the front bumper and adding a new tail-light signature, while fresh paints were added to the palette. Inside, all models now come with a 10-inch central touchscreen and 10-inch instrument binnacle, a new steering wheel design, while the dashboard layout has been revised with fewer buttons, although the physical climate controls have been retained. 

Used - available now

2024 Vauxhall

Mokka

7,006 milesAutomaticPetrol1.2L

Cash £17,995

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2023 Vauxhall

Mokka

11,955 milesAutomaticPetrol1.2L

Cash £15,664

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2024 Vauxhall

Mokka

26,116 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £14,298

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2022 Vauxhall

Mokka

24,545 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £14,185

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Another addition to the line-up was a performance-oriented GSe model. This variant is only available as an EV, but it brings extra performance and unique chassis tweaks to ultimately make the Mokka more entertaining to drive.

We’ve put the Vauxhall Mokka through its paces alongside the Hyundai Kona in a twin test. The Mokka performed well enough, but it didn’t exactly stand out in any one area. The Hyundai did stand out with its on-board tech and overall space, so it took the win here.  

Vauxhall Mokka prices and latest deals

There are a number of trim levels and powertrains to choose from in the Mokka configurator, so the pricing structure is quite broad. The cheapest Mokka is the petrol-powered model in Griffin trim, and this will set you back at least £25,500. The same model with hybrid tech starts from £28,100, while the EV ups the price again to over £31,500. Moving up to the GS and Ultimate trims pumps these numbers up further, while the range-topping (electric-only) GSe is the most expensive Mokka at no less than £36,300.

If you’re thinking of going for the Mokka Electric, these models are eligible for Band 2 of the Government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG). This will be applied automatically when you purchase it. 

If you'd like to save even more money on your new car (electric or otherwise) you can get some fantastic deals by building your new Vauxhall Mokka with the Auto Express Buy a Car service. You can also check out the latest Vauxhall Mokka leasing deals and search for used Mokka models.

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The 2025 update for the Vauxhall Mokka introduced a 143bhp hybrid powertrain to the line-up as a replacement for the Mokka diesel, which is no longer offered. This sits as a bridge between the standard petrol and the fully electric model, and is based on the same 1.2-litre PureTech turbocharged three-cylinder unit as the standard combustion-engined car, but adds 48-volt tech to the mix.

The hybrid comes with a six-speed twin-clutch automatic gearbox, while the standard petrol has the option of six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearboxes, and the electric model is a single-speed auto. Under the skin, the Mokka uses the Stellantis CMP platform that was originally developed by PSA Peugeot Citroen, and all cars send power to the front wheels.

Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed 

The combustion-engined cars are similar to each other when it comes to power and performance. The 134bhp 1.2 Turbo manages 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds, while the less powerful 128bhp automatic version manages the sprint in the same time. The Mokka Hybrid has 143bhp and covers the benchmark in 8.2 seconds. There’s a top speed of 126mph for the 1.2 Turbo auto, while the other two models max out at 129mph.

Oddly enough, both the slowest and fastest models in the Vauxhall Mokka line-up are fully electric. While the standard EV has a reasonable 154bhp and 260Nm of torque on tap, it has to haul around 1,540kg in total, with the weight of its 54kWh battery contributing 253kg when compared to the hybrid. A 0-62mph time of exactly nine seconds is quoted for the regular Mokka Electric, while its top speed is limited to 93mph. 

The Mokka GSE, meanwhile, ups the EV’s power to 277bhp and 345Nm. While it’s no lighter than the standard car, this performance boost reduces the 0-62mph sprint time to a far more brisk 5.9 seconds. Top speed is also increased to 124mph.

Town driving, visibility and parking 

Around town, the Mokka is a decent performer, although engine choice does have an impact on how well the car drives. The basic petrol unit has enough performance and delivers it with a sporty three-cylinder growl, but the gearshift isn’t positive enough for drivers to feel connected to the car. Things are poorer for the automatic model, because power has been pegged back and the sluggish responses from the self-shifter mean the Mokka can feel hesitant when power is needed - on the approach to a roundabout, for example.

Far better is the Mokka Hybrid, because the 48-volt system gives an instant kick of energy that fills the power band before the petrol engine gets up to speed. This helps to smooth the driving experience, and means faster responses when they’re needed. It also has a smoother gearbox, with the six-speed twin-clutch unit offering slick shifts throughout the range.

In the electric model, the weight of the drive battery boosts the car’s ride, helping it to smooth out bumps even more so than in the combustion-engined cars. Add in a responsive throttle, and it feels quite eager at urban speeds.

The Mokka Electric is much quieter than the petrol versions, too, and it’s extremely smooth when accelerating off the line. It doesn’t feel as rapid as some electric cars, but it’ll keep up with traffic well enough. You’ll also need to engage Sport mode to exploit all its performance potential, because power is pegged in Normal and Eco driving modes in a bid to preserve electric range. The GSE, on the other hand, feels a lot more eager to get going, albeit at the cost of battery range.

All Mokkas are compact in size, so they’re easy to manoeuvre, although it’s only the GS models and above that come with front and rear parking sensors. The Griffin has to make do with rear sensors only.

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Country road driving and handling

Pick up the pace, and the core Mokka line-up delivers a driving experience that’s competent, but doesn’t really urge you to press on. There’s enough grip from the chassis, and the ride is largely comfortable, but there’s plenty of lean in corners, and while the steering is well weighted, it doesn’t offer much feedback.

The standard Mokka Electric models don’t feel dramatically different, but the smooth power delivery and instant torque are punchy enough out of tight corners. The weight penalty (there’s a 321kg difference between the EV and the lightest 1.2 Turbo petrol) doesn’t seem to have much bearing on the driving experience, either. 

The easily accessible ‘B’ mode on the Electric’s drive selector ramps up the regenerative braking, and while it won’t bring the car to a complete stop, it’s strong enough to reduce dependence on the left pedal in town. Turn it off on faster roads, and it’ll still feed energy back into the battery when coasting, albeit with significantly less aggression for a smoother experience for passengers. 

For maximum engagement, you’ll need the electric Mokka GSE. Along with its increased power output, this variant brings tweaked steering, a mechanical limited-slip differential, and much stiffer rear anti-roll bars. We were actually rather surprised at how aggressively we had to drive in order to extract the very best from something that’s still largely based on a sensible family car. This is good because the Mokka GSE provides significant driver engagement in the bends, rather than simply being fast in a straight line.

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort 

At the national limit, every Mokka struggles a bit to keep things calm, thanks to suspension that reacts quite sharply to bumps in the road. Hit an expansion joint, and the regular cars will bob up on its springs and dampers as they struggle to absorb the impact. The GSE, meanwhile, will send an unceremonious thud through to the cabin. Find a smooth piece of tarmac, though, and the Mokka is fine, with minimal road or wind noise, while the petrol engines are fairly hushed, too.

"The Mokka Hybrid model is a great stop gap between the petrol and fully electric versions for buyers who are yet to be convinced that electrification is for them. It delivers the same smooth responses as the electric model, eliminating the patchy power delivery of the petrol and has a decent turn of speed, too." – Dean Gibson, senior test editor.

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While the petrol Mokka offers a low entry price and decent claimed fuel economy, there are benefits to be had with paying extra to upgrade to the hybrid. In the petrol car with a manual gearbox, we found that the stop-start system was very reluctant to activate, and changing settings – such as switching off the air-conditioning – didn’t seem to alter this. With the Hybrid, the 48-volt system proactively engaged when we came to a stop, boosting efficiency in the process.

We saw returns of around 44mpg in the manual model, but the hybrid improved on this with a return of 47.2mpg. However, it’s worth noting that the hybrid model has a smaller 42-litre fuel tank, compared with a 44-litre reservoir for the petrol. Based on our numbers, that means the hybrid only has an extra 10 miles of range over the petrol variant.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

Both the standard and GSE variants of the Vauxhall Mokka Electric are powered by the same 54kWh battery, and this unit’s 100kW peak charging speed means that a 0 to 80 per cent top-up should take just 30 minutes. However, this lags behind models such as the Kia EV3 (150kW) and Skoda Elroq (175kW). A full charge from a typical 7.4kW home wallbox overnight should take around 7.5 hours.

Due to the difference in power, the GSE has a smaller claimed range of 209 miles compared to the standard Mokka Electric’s 250 miles.

If you’re interested in the EV, then just be aware of how the cold weather can affect efficiency. We tested the standard Mokka Electric on a cool (five to seven degrees ambient temperature, occasionally rainy) day, returning efficiency of around 3.7-3.8mi/kWh. That translates to about 190 miles of range. We’d definitely suggest opting for the optional £400 heat pump because it provides a more efficient way of heating the car in cold weather. Ultimately, though, it’s probably best to treat the Mokka as a capable urban runaround that’s suited to an occasional long run should the need arise.

Insurance groups 

Insurance group ratings range from 22 to 32 for the Mokka, with the zesty GSE being the priciest model to cover. However, a large proportion of the Ford Puma range should be cheaper to insure, as this model goes as low as group 12. As small SUVs go, virtually no model can beat the SEAT Arona for cheap quotes, as this starts in group 10.

Tax 

Every Mokka, including the electric models, are liable for the standard rate of VED road tax. However, no variant crosses the luxury car tax threshold, so this won’t be a concern. 

As always, it’s the fully electric models that’ll be the best choice for business buyers, as these incur the very lowest rates of Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company car tax. 

Depreciation

Our market data shows that the combustion-powered Vauxhall Mokka doesn’t put up much of a fight against depreciation, as these are expected to retain between 43 to 45 per cent of their initial value after three years or 36,000 miles. Mokka Electric owners might want to get the tissues ready, because these cars only manage a rather ruinous 33 to 34 per cent after the same amount of time. The Mokka GSE is the odd EV out, though, at 44 per cent.

In comparison, the standard Ford Pumas hold on to 47 to 53 per cent, while the electric Puma Gen-E manages 41 per cent across the board.

To get an accurate valuation for a specific model, check out our free car valuation tool...

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Vauxhall’s Vizor grille design was a breath of fresh air when it was introduced with the Mokka in 2021. For this year’s update, the manufacturer largely left the front end alone, aside from the addition of a revised bumper design, while at the rear, the slender tail-lights have a refreshed signature. 

Interior and dashboard design 

The Mokka Mk2’s cabin was already greatly simplified compared to the previous model, but the car’s mid-life update saw every model fitted with a pair of 10-inch screens to keep them feeling fresh. The gloss-black trim was also replaced with a much smarter brushed silver-effect trim. 

The Mokka features separate climate controls in a panel below the central air vents, so you don’t have to dive into the touchscreen to adjust settings. However, one slight quirk is that both outside rotary knobs can adjust the temperature (there’s no dual-zone option anywhere in the range), while the cabin temperature is only shown in the top left of the main touchscreen.

Materials and build quality

Rather than going down the scratch-prone plastic route for the centre console around the drive selector, Vauxhall has opted for a brushed-silver finish, and this will undoubtedly help to improve the durability of the Mokka’s interior. Elsewhere in the cabin there are plenty of hard surfaces, but different materials are used to help break up an otherwise generally grey appearance.

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

All versions of the Mokka come with a 10-inch touchscreen and a 10-inch digital driver’s display as part of the firm’s Pure Panel layout. This is designed so that the two displays line up side by side to look like one large screen that stretches across the width of the dashboard. Only the top-spec Ultimate trim has sat-nav included, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available on every specification.

The central screen can be set to display large shortcut buttons for the various sub-menus, but the secondary displays require you to scroll through lists to find everything you need, which isn’t ideal when you’re on the move. A physical home button below the screen is useful, while the top bar brings up vehicle settings.

The screens are sharp and easy to read, while the driver’s display has different configurations via a press of a button. One thing we’d like to see is the trip information on permanent display on the screen, rather than have it disappear after a few seconds.

“As with most new cars, you can set up a driver profile in the Mokka that can load your favourite settings every time you get behind the wheel. One highlight is the range of avatars available to choose from to personalise your experience. The pop art-style images are a snapshot of some of Vauxhall and Opel’s greatest hits.” – Dean Gibson, senior test editor 

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Compact dimensions benefit the Mokka’s manoeuvrability, especially in town. But the downside is a relative lack of space when compared with some small SUV rivals. 

Dimensions and size 

The Mokka is longer and wider than the top-selling Ford Puma, but the Renault Captur is a larger car in every sense.

Seats & passenger space 

One area where the Mokka doesn’t suffer any compromise is with the space for occupants up front. There’s plenty of elbow room and a wide range of seat and steering-wheel adjustment available to get a decent driving position, while the seats themselves are comfortable. 

Storage is compromised a little by the Mokka’s relative width. The door bins are narrow, but with enough space at the front of the pockets for a drinks bottle to fit, while the bin under the sliding armrest is on the small side. There are twin cup-holders ahead of this, while the stubby drive selector used by automatic models helps to declutter the dashboard. There’s a decent shelf beneath the climate controls, which is where you’ll find Vauxhall’s trademark ‘shark’ design motif.

It’s in the back where the Mokka feels the most compromised. The rear seat isn’t very wide – there are three seatbelts, but shoulder room will be tight, and the central seatback isn’t broad enough to contain a fold-down armrest within. The front seat backs are soft and feature deep cutouts for your knees, and while headroom is fine, the thick C-pillars and small windows make it feel hemmed in.

Storage space is also tight, with half-sized door bins, but there are map pockets on the backs of the front seats and a pair of USB sockets at the base of the central armrest.

Boot space 

The 350-litre boot is big enough for the weekly shop, and offers more space than a Vauxhall Corsa supermini (305 litres). The Mokka’s boot is identical for both the petrol and hybrid models, but the electric versions are compromised by their battery packs, so these only have 310 litres of space. It’s the opposite situation with the Ford Puma, though, as the Puma Gen-E actually has a larger boot than its petrol-powered counterpart.

The Mokka’s load lip is a little high, although the deep floor means there’s no risk of items falling out when the boot is opened.

Towing 

The petrol and hybrid-powered Mokkas are both rated to tow a maximum of 1,200kg braked, which is good enough to be able to haul a trailer or small caravan. However, the electric models aren’t rated to pull anything.

For greater towing capacity in a small SUV, look at the Volkswagen T-Roc, as this can haul up to 1,500kg.

“For those unfamiliar, the first challenge is to open the Mokka’s tailgate. The button release is in the middle of the number plate recess in the bumper, so you have to pop that before moving to the tailgate handle to lift it open. It’s a bit fiddly when most rivals have an all-in-one solution where the button is part of the handle.” – Dean Gibson, senior test editor.

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The Vauxhall Mokka placed 18th out of 50 cars in the most recent Driver Power survey, with owners praising its low running costs, exterior design and the performance of its powertrains. As for downsides, owners criticised the car’s practicality, while the safety systems only earned an average score.

There was more good news for Vauxhall in the best manufacturer rankings, with the brand earning a fourth place finish out of 31 carmakers. Meanwhile, Ford was left languishing in 23rd place.

Euro NCAP awarded the Mokka a four out of five-star safety rating, with concerns raised about the protection of the driver's chest and legs in a frontal impact, not having a central airbag to prevent the front seat occupants from colliding with each other in a side impact, poor neck protection for children seated in the back, plus its autonomous emergency braking (AEB) not recognising cyclists.

Standard safety kit includes LED headlights, rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning and speed-limit assist, while autonomous emergency braking and driver-tiredness alert are also included. Vauxhall includes a handy shortcut button on the dashboard that provides instant access to the driver-assistance tech, although some settings, such as the speed-limit warning, will have to be updated every time you drive.

Adaptive cruise control comes with the top-of-the-range Ultimate, as well as blind spot monitoring – all of which feature as standard on the entry-level Volkswagen T-Cross.

• Best buy: Vauxhall Mokka 1.2 Hybrid Ultimate

The Hybrid is an effective stop gap between pure petrol and full EV, with an efficient stop-start system and decent fuel economy. Choosing Ultimate spec means you get a generous kit list that includes some useful additional safety features, but you’ll still save a considerable amount compared to the equivalent Mokka Electric.

Vauxhall Mokka alternatives

There has perhaps been a slight image problem over recent years for many Griffin-badged cars, so it’s encouraging to see Vauxhall focusing on a clear approach to its future design and attempting to raise levels of perceived quality, especially because the Mokka rivals the likes of the Ford Puma, Hyundai Kona, Renault Captur, Skoda Kamiq and Nissan Juke in the hotly contested small SUV segment.

Electric rivals are coming in thick and fast, too. The Puma is offered as the electric Puma Gen-E, while the Hyundai Kona Electric has been available with a zero-emissions powertrain since 2018. Other electric rivals include the mechanically similar Peugeot E-2008 and Citroen e-C4, as well as the Kia EV3 and Renault 4.

Deals on the Mokka and alternatives

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Ford Puma

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